MacKillop's Executive team lead over 1400 staff across Victoria, New South Wales, ACT, Western Australia and Northern Territory to strengthen, nurture and empower children, young people and families.
Robyn is passionate about social justice and the rights of children and families. As a social worker and family therapist, Robyn has over thirty years' experience in the child and welfare sector. Robyn is committed to training and supportive supervision for colleagues to provide best practice to the children and families we serve. When not traveling to MacKillop programs all over Australia, Robyn delights in her own five children and three beautiful grandchildren.
Graham leads the Corporate Services area. With a commerce degree in law and accounting, a fellow with AICD and over 35 years in senior management in corporate services, Graham brings vast experience in financial and asset management, company reporting, secretarial duties and governance. Graham has completed a Melbourne marathon, the Lorne Pier to Pub for the past 20 years and more recently has become a doting grandfather.
Trish is an experienced Social Worker who holds a Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Counselling, and has completed various post graduate training programs in child development and play therapy methods. She has a background in Child and Family Welfare, Clinical Services and Community Health and has been in management positions for over 20 years. Trish oversees the analysis and monitoring of performance across service agreements, safeguarding responsibilities and compliance, investigation and reporting standards and regulations, as well as integrating systems particularly in relation to continuous quality improvement. Trish also oversees the Clinical Director’s role in guiding MacKillop’s Learning and Development for frontline practitioners, practice leaders and managers.
Dr Nick Halfpenny has practiced in the child and family sector for over 14 years in the areas of research, quality, advocacy and practice and policy development. Nick and his team seek to improve outcomes for the children, young people and families we serve by investigating and evaluating new ways of working, advocating for social policy change and measuring the impact of our services.
Ninevah leads and supports the Victorian North, South, East and After Hours teams to provide high quality services to children, young people and families, build and foster respectful relationships and develop innovative family-centred services. Ninevah has over twenty years’ experience in the sector in social work, community development, post graduate studies and mental health. Due to personal experiences, Ninevah continues to work closely with the Peter MacCallum Cancer centre as a patient advocate on issues affecting lung cancer research and raising awareness of this disease. Ninevah lost her partner, Brian in April 2018 due to lung cancer and is raising her three year old twins, Ava and Charlize.
Kerry’s role is to lead the clinical team to develop therapeutic practices through reflective practice, training and consultation, enhancing the important work carers and practitioners undertake with children, young people and their families. Kerry is a Social Worker and Family Therapist who has worked in the trauma field for most of her career. She is passionate about working with families in a respectful and strength-based way and increasing the relational and cultural connections in the lives of the young people. Her interest in social connections is evident in her own life as she enjoys spending time with her family and friends as well as painting and other creative pursuits.
Sam leads the Community Engagement team, which seeks to inspire people to get involved with MacKillop by sharing stories about our work and the people we support. With a background in law and strategic communications, he brings valuable experience in marketing, communications, stakeholder engagement, governance and fundraising to MacKillop. Outside of work, Sam hones his storytelling skills every night with his two children, Ethan and Grace.
Kellie leads the West Australian services for MacKillop including foster care services in the Perth Metropolitan area, specialist foster care and an emergency support service in the South West and general foster care, Indigenous Healing service and Intensive and Family Support services in the Pilbara region.
With qualifications in psychology and a history working in disability, mental health and with the Department of Communities, Kellie has over 20 years’ experience working with children and families in Western Australia with strong experience working in regional and remote areas, alongside Aboriginal Communities and in the out of home care sector.
Kellie has been instrumental in ensuing high quality, trauma informed care for children in residential and secure care for more than 10 years. Having an expert knowledge of the Sanctuary Model, Kellie has developed and facilitated Sanctuary training, created resources, and continues to be involved in consultation around the Sanctuary framework at MacKillop.
Anne is responsible for leading The MacKillop Institute and MacKillop’s schools and education programs. She has worked in community development and education for over 30 years and during this time has held a number of senior leadership roles. Anne is passionate about social justice and is committed to making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children, young people and families. Anne draws inspiration from MacKillop’s values and vision and is guided by these in her work; she believes that hope, respect, compassion and collaboration can transform lives and strengthen communities. Anne has three beautiful children and ten gorgeous grandchildren who are a constant source of joy and wonder.
Esmai is a proud Yorta Yorta woman, raised in a politically active family that that still remains passionate about making positive change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Esmai is trauma and family therapy trained, and is responsible at MacKillop for the oversight of cultural safety, self-determination and reconciliation including advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, and families, particularly the most vulnerable in the areas of child protection and out of home care. She also has oversight of the development and implementation of the MacKillop Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Esmai has spent many years working in key roles in the Aboriginal community sector and State Government.
Esmai is guided by the strength and courage of her ancestors.
Amanda’s role is in Ethos and Culture, where she endeavours to listen deeply and strengthen spirit to release compassion and hope. Amanda seeks formation “heart moments” to honour the wisdom gleaned from founders Edmund Rice, Catherine McAuley and Mary MacKillop through their faith and life experiences, and who provide a living model for the way MacKillop staff and volunteers approach their work in a contemporary world.
Amanda’s leadership career has journeyed across the areas of learning and development and human resource management, with a passion for fidelity to mission, values integration, cultural awareness, organisational development, diversity and inclusion, and social justice.
Amanda finds joy and is nourished by spending time with music, the arts, her partner and three adult children.
